Ticket printing and issuing machine



Nov; 22, 1938. D. H. KINNARD ET AL ,1

TICKET PRINTING AND ISSUING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1937 5 Sheets-Shget 1H FENCE SHILLINGS fig 2 CHECK I w 5:2 M\c sTAce- 'gg FARE I p, 2 3; w 6A A54 Q E 5;; 3: 37 3 g \0 ammo PAiD l INVENTORS l I I 96 42 J5 J5DUDLEY H. KINNARD HAROLD F0 FORD ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1938.

D. H. KINNARD at AL TICKET PRINTING AND ISSUING" MACHINE I Filed June 9,1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS DUDLEY H KIMIARD HAROLD F. FORD By IATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1938. D.IH. KINNARD ET AL 2,137,915

TICKET PRINTING AND ISSUING MACHINE Filed June 9, 193'? 5 Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTORS DUDLEY H. KINNARD HAROLD F. FORD ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 22,1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Dudley Henry Kinnard, London, andHarold Francis Ford, Wallington, England, assignors to T. I. M. (Ticket-London, England Issue Machines) Limited,

Application June 9, 1937, Serial No. 147,340 In Great Britain April 3,1936 2 Claims.

This invention relates to ticket printing and issuing machines suitablefor use on tramcars and omnibuses and of the type in which the ticketsare printed and issued by a rotary print- 5 .ing drum carryingadjustable dies for printing variable markings such as value, fare stageand class markings.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved machine ofthis kind and in particular to provide improvements which will enable avery large range of value markings to be printed and registered withoutmaking the machine unduly bulky or heavy.

According to one aspect, the invention comprises a machine of the kindreferred to wherein two value setting mechanisms are provided by whichtwo independently variable value markings can be set up, means beingprovided for registering the values marked at each operation of 20 themachine.

According to another aspect of the invention the machine is providedwith two adjustable marking devices controlled by external settingmembers through the medium of sliding members mounted to rotate with theprinting drum and to slide axially relatively thereto for the purpose ofsetting registering mechanism by which the values marked are registeredduring the rotation of the drum in combination with a third .30 settingmechanism provided to adjust a third variable marking device andcomprising a slidable spindle adapted to be moved into engagement withan adjusting member on the drum for the purpose of adjusting the markingdevice and to be moved out of engagement therewith for the purpose ofpermitting rotation of the printing drum.

According to another aspect, the invention comprises a machine of thekind referred to 40 wherein three independently operable settingmechanisms are provided for adjusting three separate variable markingdevices for the purpose of enabling any combination of three variablemarkings to be obtained.

According to one form of the invention the machine is provided with onevalue setting mechanism (e. g. a pence value mechanism) adjusted by anexternal finger operated dial plate through the medium of a slidingsetting member mounted to rotate with the drum, a second value settingmechanism (e. g. a shilling mechanism) operable by an external adjustingelement. through the medium of a sliding setting member mounted torotate with the drum and a class marking setting mechanism comprising anadjusting spindle carrying a clutch member movable axially intoengagement with a clutch member on the printing drum for the purpose ofadjusting the class marking die and capable of being disengagedtherefrom for the purpose of permitting rotation of the drum.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the machine constructed according to oneform of the invention,

Figure 2 is a view of the cover plate of the machine,

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine showing the end oppositethat shown in Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a top plan view,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 6,

Figure 6 is a rear elevation, the cover plate being removed to revealthe mechanism and certain parts being shown in section,

Figure 7 is an end view similar to that of Figure 1 but with the endframe plate removed to show the mechanism,

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view with the cover plate (illustrated in Fig.2) removed and with certain parts of the mechanism shown in section,

Figure 9 is a representation of a ticket as issued by the machine, and

Figure 10 is a cross section taken on the line ll0 of Fig.6.

The casing of the machine shown in the drawings comprises a bed plate I,two end frame plates 2 and 3 projecting downwardly from the ends of theplate I and a removable cover plate 4. The bed plate I also carries aticket strip magazine or casing fixed to the upper side of the bed platenear one end thereof and having an open front fitted with a hinged cover6. The casing is provided with lugs la for attachment to shoulder strapsfor supporting the machine upon the person of the conductor in such away that the machine can be operated and the hinged cover 6 opened forreplenishment of the ticket magazine while the machine is supported onthe shoulder straps.

The cover 6 is held in the closed position by means of a pair of hookedlevers 1 (see especially Figs. 3 and 6) pivoted to the side walls of thecover 6 and united by a bar 8 which extends across the front of thecover and is provided with a finger piece 9 by which the levers I can beoperated simultaneously. Springs acting on t e levers I tend to hold thehooked ends of the levers in engagement with lugs II fixed to the bedplate I as shown clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings, the arrangementbeing such that an upward pressure on the finger 9 in a direction toopen the cover 6 rocks the levers I against the action of the springs Iso as to release the hooked ends of the levers from the lugs I I. Thehooked ends of the levers are preferably shaped so that they will rideover the lugs II when the cover 6 is closed and snap into the fastenedposition automatically. 7

The tickets are printed on a strip taken from a roll I2 which isinserted into the casing as shown in Figure 5, so that it rests upon thebed plate I. The roll I2 is held in place by a wire frame or arm I3which is hinged to the casing 5 at I4 so that it can be swung forward topermit of the insertion or removal of a ticket strip roll. A leaf springI6 fixed to the hinged cover 6 is arranged as shown in Fig. 5, so thatwhen the cover 6 is closed the spring I6 limits the movement of theframe or arm I3 in such a way as to prevent the escape of the ticketroll from the space between the frame or arm I6 and the back of thecasing 5.

The bed plate I is formed with an opening I! round which is fixed aticket strip guide plate I8 consisting of a rectangular frame formedwith upstanding flanges I9 by which the ticket strip is guided in itspassage over the bed plate I to the exterior of the machine. The hingedcover carries a spring loaded pressure roller which engages the uppersurface of the ticket strip when the cover 6 is closed so as to pressthe ticket strip against the guide plate I8 in the manner shown inFigure 5. The pressure roller is carried between the arms of a U-shapedframe 21 which is pivoted on a spindle 22 fixed to the side walls of thecover 5 and is controlled by a spring 23 tending to rock the frame in adirection to move the roller 20 towards the opening I2, this movementbeing limited by a suitable stop 24. The stop 24 is so arranged thatwhen the cover is closed the frame 2i is pushed away from the stop bythe engagement of the ticket strip guide plate I8 with the roller20,so,that the ticket strip'is pressed firmly against the ticket stripguide plate.

The machine is provided with a printing drum indicated generally at 25mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis'beneath t'lie'bed plate I andis provided with a printing surface which is arranged to print upon theunderside of the ticket strip through the opening I! and to feed theticket strip forward so as to eject the printed ticket from the machine.

The printing drum is fixed to a shaft 26 which extends horizontallyacross the machine beneath the bed plate I and is supported at its endremote from the printing drum by means of a ball bearing 21 (Figures 6and 8) carried by the frame plate 3. The end of the shaft 25 projectsoutside the frame plate 3 and carries a crank handle 28 by which theprinting drum is rotated. The printing drum is supported at the endremote from the bearing 2'! by means of a bearing 29 located in a recess39 in the frame plate 2, the printing drum being supported from thisbearing through the intermediary of a hollow sleeve or casing 3i fixedto the printing drum by means of a flange 32.

The main printing surface of the drum which is indicated generally at 33in Figure 5, comprises a number of fixed dies adapted to print the frameor border 34 (Figure 9) and other invariable parts of the ticketillustrated in Figure 9 and a number of adjustable dies for printing onthe ticket the value markings, a class marking the consecutive number ofthe ticket, the fare stage, service number and date of issue.

The rotatable dies 35 for printing the service number and the rotatabledies 35 for printing the date of issue are adjustable directly by hand,these dies being accessible when the printing drum is in the restposition shown in the drawings through an opening in the cover plate 4normally closed by a sliding door 3'! (Figure 2) which the conductor canopen for the purpose of setting the dies to print the required servicenumber and date of issue without removing the cover 4 from the machine.In Figure 9, the service or route number is shown at 33 and the date ofissue at 39. The fare stage dies are carried by a pair of rotary dieholders 4!] and 4| (Figure 5) which are journalled upon a common spindlewithin the printing drum and are adjustable to print any one of a seriesof numbers from 1 to 99 representing the fare stages as indicated at 42in Figure 9. The die holder prints the units digit, while the die holder4| prints the tens digit and is coupled to the die holder 40 by suitablegearing (not shown) so as to move forward through one step at the end ofeach rotation of the die holder 40.

The adjustment of the fare stage dies (see Figs. 5, 6 and 8) is effectedby means of an adjusting spindle 43 which is mounted coaxially with theprinting drum so as to be rotatable relatively thereto and is geared tothe spindle 44 (to which the die holder 48 is attached) through themedium of a pair of bevel wheels 45 and a series of toothed wheels 46carried by the printing drum.

The fare stage adjusting spindle 43 is supported near its inner end bymeans of a bearing 41 carried by the printing drum and projects at itsouter end through the frame plate 2. An external adjusting wheel 48 isfixed to the projecting end of the spindle 43 so that the spindle can berotated for the purpose of adjusting the fare stage printing dies.

In order to provide an inchcation of the fare stage to which the farestage printing dies are adjusted, a pair of number wheels 49 and 50fitted with suitable carrier mechanism (not shown) are supported withinthe sleeve 3I by means of bearing plates 5| fixed by screws to the endof the sleeve and a suitable driving lug (not shown) fixed to thespindle and engaging a units number wheel so as to adjust the number ofwheels synchronously with the adjustment of the fare stage printingdies. The relevant numbers on the wheels 49 and 50 are visible throughan opening 52 in the sleeve 3I, the end plate 3a being formed with acorresponding opening 53 which registers with the opening 52 when thedrum is in the normal or rest position shown in the drawings.

The machine is provided with a series of pence value dies for printingthe pence value on the ticket as indicated at 54 in Figure 9, these diesbeing carried on a rotary disc or die holder 55 which is carried by afixed spindle 56 mounted in the printing drum and is controlled by asliding rack 51 (see Figs. 5 and 8) which is guided in a bracket 58fixed to the printing drum and meshes with a pinion 59 fixed to the dieholder 55 and rotatable therewith on the spindle 53. The rack 51 isfixed at its end remote from the printing drum to a bracket 60 fixed toa yoke ring BI which is mounted to slide on a square portion of theshaft 26. The yoke ring 6I is located and controlled as regards itssliding movement on the shaft 26 by means of a yoke 62 carried by thesliding rack 63 which is guided in spindle 66 supported by the bed plateI.

brackets 64 fixed to the bed plate I and which meshes with a toothedpinion 65 carried by a The spindle 66 projects through the bed plate Iand carries at its upper end a dial plate 61 (Figure 4) formed with aseries of finger holes 68 each one of which corresponds to one of theseries of pence values to which the machine can be adjusted. The dialplate 61 is normally held in the position shown by means of a spring 6910- oated between the spindle 66 and a boss or housing 10 fixed to thebed plate I. The conductor can adjust the dial plate to any one of anumber of positions corresponding to the different positions to whichthe yoke ring BI is adjustable for printing different pence fare valuesby placing his finger in one of the holes 68 and rotating the plate 61until his finger is arrested by a finger stop H disposed above the plate61. The finger stop H is carried at one end of a two-armed lever 12pivoted at '12 and formed with a pawl 13 which cooperates with a ratchetwheel 14 fixed to' the spindle 66, the arrangement being such that thepressure of the finger on the stop II when the dial plate 67 is adjustedas described above causes the pawl 13 to engage one of the teeth of theratchet wheel 14 for the purpose of holding the dial plate 5'! in itsadjusted position against the action of the spring 69. Indication ticketvalues 75 are marked on the dial plate adjacent the finger holes asshown in Figure 4. The indication against each hole corresponding to thepence value to which the machine will be adjusted by placing the fingerin that hole and rotating the dial plate until the finger is arrested bythe stop H.

The machine is provided with dies for printing shillings valuesadditional to those for printing the pence values. The shillings valueprinting dies are carried by a rotary disc or die holder 16 which ismounted side by side with the die holder 55 on the spindle 56 and iscontrolled by a sliding rack 11 similar to the rack 51 and is similarlyguided in the bracket 58. The rack 11 meshes with a pinion l8 fixed tothe die holder 16. The rack 11 is attached at its end remote from theprinting drum to a yoke ring 19 mounted to slide on the square portionof the shaft 26. This ring 19 is located-between the drum and the ringBI and is provided with an opening to accommodate the rack 51 whichpasses from the drum through the yoke ring 19 to the bracket 60 on theyoke ring 6|. The ring 19 is controlled as regards its sliding movementson the shaft 26 by means of a yoke 86 carried by a sliding rack B! whichis guided in the brackets 64 fixed to the bed plate I and meshes with atoothed pinion 82 carried by a spindle 83 supported by the bed plate 5.The spindle 83 projects through the bed plate I in front of the spindle66 and beneath the dial plate 6! and carries an external lever arm 84which can be rotated by hand for the purpose of imparting slidingmovement of the yoke ring 19 and adjusting the shillings value printingdies 16. Indications of the value to which the shillings printing diescan be adjusted are marked on the bed plate I in the path of the end ofthe lever arm 84 as shown at 85 in Figure 4 so as to indicate theadjustment of the machine. order to provide for issuing a ticket of d.value the printing wheel 16 carries in addition to a number of shillingsvalue dies a A d. value die. The marking shown at 86 on the plate Iindicates the position to which the arm 84 must be adjusted in order toprint a d. value.

. The machine is provided with a number of registering counters 81a, 81b81c mounted on spindles 88 disposed parallel to the shaft 26, thecounters being arranged in such a way that they can be read throughopenings formed in the cover 4 as shown in Figure 2. These spindles areattached at their ends to metal plates 89, 90, so that the spindles 88of the counters and plates 89, 98, constitute a self-supporting skeletonframe so that the whole of the counters can be detached from the machineas a unit. Access to the interior of the machine for reading thecounters is unnecessary, however, as the various records are all visiblethrough openings in the cover 4 (see Figure 2) without unsealing themachine. The counter We which is adapted to register the total pencevalue, i. e., the total value printed by the pence die holder 55 afterbeing adjusted to the required amount by operation of the wheel 61 isoperated by a series of mutilated gear wheels or toothed discs 9|mounted side by side on a sleeve 52 fixed to the disc 6| and adapted toslide as a whole on the shaft 26.

The counterBle is provided with a toothed wheel 93 adapted to be drivenby the teeth on the discs 9| when the spindle 26 is rotated by thehandle 28 for printing and issuing a ticket.

The teeth on the discs 9| are arranged in progressive order startingwith one tooth on the first disc, i. e., that shown at the extreme rightin Fig. 6 to eleven teeth or any number corresponding to the pence valuemarkings 15 on the dial plate 61.

When the machine is adjusted to print a penny ticket the discs are movedalong the shaft 26.

through the medium of yoke 62, and rack 63, to a position wherein thedisc carrying one tooth is brought in alignment with the toothed wheel53 on the counter 81c so that a single rotation of the shaft 26 willcause the counter 81a to be advanced by the amount corresponding to onepenny. Further rotation of the dial plate 61 to set the machine at ahigher pence value causes the discs 9! to be moved bodily to the rightso that successive discs are brought into line with the toothed wheel93. Thus each disc 9! corresponds to a particular pence value and thenumber of teeth on each disc is chosen to accord with the pence value towhich it corresponds. It is convenient to take a 1d. as the unit ofvalue so that the counter will be advanced through one unit for every.1d. of unit of value printed.

The total value of shillings is registered on a counter which isoperated by a series of mutilated gear wheels or tooth discs 94 similarto the discs 96 and which are adapted to be moved along the shaft 26 bythe yoke 86 attached to the shillings adjustment rack 8i. There are fourtoothed discs 94 corresponding to the four adjustments of the arm 84 andanother toothed disc 95 is provided for recording the number of d valueson a counter (not shown). Each of these toothed discs is provided withan ap propriate number of teeth so that whenthe arm 8 is adjusted toprint a particular value the particular toothed disc through the mediumof pinion 82, rack 8i, and yoke 86 is brought into line with the drivingwheel on the shilling counter and upon rotation of the shaft 25 theamount corresponding to the number of shillings printed is registered.Similarly when the arm 84 is placed at /2d. the toothed disc 95 isbrought into line with its corresponding counter and is registered inthe same way.

The die holder I5 has a blank portion which can be brought into theprinting position by moving the arm 84 to the position marked blank inFig. 4, so as to prevent any value from being printed in the shillingsand /2d. position when not required. In this position of the arm 84, allthe discs 94 and 95 are moved out of line with the driving wheels oftheir respective counters so that the counters are unaffected by therotation of the shaft 26. The mechanism is so arranged that when thediscs 94 are in the position just described the sleeve on which they aremounted acts as a stop limiting the movement of the discs 9i towards theleft as seen in Fig. 8, and preventing the finger dial returning to itsnormal blank position as seen in Fig. 4.

When the finger pawl 13 is released, the discs 9| are movedautomatically to the left under the action of the spring 69 acting onthe dial plate 61. In order to prevent inadvertent displacement of thediscs 94 under the action of the spring 69, a spring loaded latch 96 isprovided for holding the arm 84 in the blank position. When the latch 96is fastened the dial plate 6'! and the die holder 55 cannot be moved tothe blank position. Movement of the arm 84 to the /2d. value or to anyof the shilling values, however, causes the discs 94 to move to the leftas seen in Fig. 8 and frees the discs 9I for movement towards the leftsufficiently to bring a blank part of the variable die holder 55 intothe printing position.

The corresponding movement of the discs 6| brings all the toothed discs9I clear of the driving wheel of the counter 8'Ie so that nothing isregistered on the total pence value counter.

The class dies for printing the class indicaions as shown at 96 in Fig.9 are carried by a rotary die holder 91 mounted on the printing drum 25as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. This holder is adjustable by means of anadjusting spindle 99 slidably and rotatably mounted in a framework 99fixed to the bed plate I of the machine and projecting at one endthrough the frame plate 3, an external finger disc I being mounted onthe projecting end of the spindle as shown.

The spindle IN on which the die holder is mounted carries a clutchmember I02 and is controlled by a spring I03 which normally urges thespindle to the right as seen in Figure 8 so as to hold the clutch memberI02 in engagement with a clutch member I04 fixed to the drum 25 andadapted to lock the die holder 91 in any one of its printing positions.The adjusting spindle 98 carries a pin I adapted to engage any one of aring of holes I06 formed in the framework 99 of the machine and iscontrolled by a spring I01 which normally urges the spindle 98 to theright as seen in Figure 8 so as to hold the pin I05 in engagement withone of the holes I06 and lock the spindle in any one of a number ofangular positions corresponding to those of the spindle IOI. The spindle98 is mounted so as to be in alignment with the spindle I 0| when thedrum is in the normal or rest position shown in the drawings and aclutch member I08 provided on one end of the spindle 98 is adapted toengage a clutch member I09 provided on the spindle IOI so that theadjustment spindle 98 can be coupled to the spindle IN by movement ofthe spindle 98 to the left as seen in Figure 8 for the purpose ofadjusting the class die holder. The parts are so constructed thatdisengagement of the clutch members I02 and I04 cannot occur until boththe clutch members I08 and I09 are in engagement and the pin I 05 isdisengaged from the holes I06 in the framework 99 by moving the spindle98 to the left,

In the machine shown in the drawings, the adjustable die holder 91 isadapted to print any one of six different class markings, e. g. "midday,childs, ordinary workmens, "workmens returns and ordinary returns.

In order to provide a registration of the total number of tickets of aparticular class or group of classes, a pawl or tappet member I I0mounted to rock about a pivot III on the drum 25 is formed with aprojection II2 which can be moved into or out of line with a drivingwheel of the counter 81a mounted adjacent the drum. The tappet member H0has a pin or projection II3 adapted to engage any one of a series ofrecesses in the die holder 91. A spring IIIa tends to rock the member II0 to the left as seen in Figure 6 so as to withdraw the projection II2from the operative position at the same time causing the projection II3to enter one of the recesses in the die holder 91. The recesses in thedie holder are so arranged that when the die holder is adjusted to printa class marking which is not to be registered on the counter 81a the pinenters one of the recesses so that the tappet member I I0 isinoperative. When the die holder 91 is adjusted to other positions,however, the pin I I3 is forced out of the hole and rides on the wall ofthe die holder 91 so that the tappet member is held in the operativeposition against the action of the spring IIIa and upon rotation of thedrum 25 the projection II2 engages with the driving wheel of the counter81a to advance the counter one step for each rotation of the printingdrum.

The machine shown in the drawings is provided with check counters 81cand 81d driven synchronously with the pence and shillings counters. Theshillings check counter 810 is driven by the toothed discs 94 and thepence check counter 81d is driven by the toothed discs 9| in the mannerpreviously described. These check counters serve to reveal any errorsdue to faults in the mechanism of the counters.

A further registering counter 81d for registering the total number ofrotations of the drum is provided and this counter is actuated by aprojection I I4 provided on the shaft 26 which advances the counter oneunit for each rotation of the handle 28. The printing of the consecutivenumber of the ticket indicated at I I5 in Figure 9 is effected by a setof numbering wheels I I6 carried by the printing drum 25 (see Figure 8)and adapted to be advanced one step every time the printing drum isrotated. The numbering wheels are actuated by a fixed cam plate II'I(see Figures 5, 6 and 8) having a circular edge engaging between theteeth of a gear wheel II8 meshing with another gear wheel II9 mounted onthe spindle of the numbering wheels I I6. The cam plate has a part I20which is turned radially inwards as shown in Figure 5 so that as thedrum 25 rotates the part I20 of the cam turns the wheel II8 through thespace of one tooth and advances the numbering wheel one unit and bringsa successive tooth into engagement with the inner edge of the cam plateI I1. Some part of the edge of the cam plate I I1 is always engagedbetween two teeth of the wheel II8, so that this wheel is positivelycontrolled at all times and accidental displacement thereof isprevented.

The machine is fitted with an inking device consisting of an inkedfroller 'I2I mounted one frame or bracket I22 which is supported on aspindle I23 fixed to the frame of the machine'and is pressed towards theprinting drum by two springs I24 Whose movement is limited by a stopI25. The ink supply roller I26 carried by the frame I2! is pressedagainst the inking roller by springs I28. The ink supply roller I26 islocated adjacent the door 31 in the cover plate 4 through which theservice number and date of issue printing wheels are adjusted, the dooropening being adapted also to provide access to the inking supply rollerfor the purpose of replenishing it with ink.

The frame 2I carrying the pressure roller 29 carries a serrated knifeedge I29 located close to the surface of the bed plate I at a pointwhere the ticket issues from the machine so that the ticket can be tornoff against this knife edge by hand. The portion of the ticket stripindicated at x in Figure 5 extending between the pressure roller and theknife edge is printed upon by a portion of the fixed surface of theprinting face 33 and when a ticket is torn ofi against the knife edge 29the part a: of the ticket strip remains behind and forms. a part of thenext ticket strip. The part :c of the ticket therefore forms part of thenext ticket issued and must consequently constitute one of theinvariable parts of the ticket. In the machine shown in the drawings thesurface 33 prints a notice as indicated at I39 in Figure 9.

In order to prevent the drum from being rotated when either of the valuedie adjusting devices are incorrectly adjusted and also to preventmovement of the value die adjusting devices after the drum has beenmoved away from its normal or rest position, a toothed bar or comb I3!is fixed in the machine as shown in Figures 6 and 8 in such a way thatthe edges of the discs 94 and 9| are engaged between the teeth of thecomb I 8I in any one of the several positions to which the discs maybeadjusted. Each of the discs 94 and 9i is provided with a recess I32which registers with the comb I3I when the drum is in the normal or restposition so as to permit axial movement of the discs 94 and SI for thepurpose of adjusting the fare value, while the drum is in the normal orrest position.

In order to prevent reverse rotation of the drum the spindle 26 carriesa ratchet wheel I33 which is located in the end plate 3 and is engagedby a pggvl I34 which is held in position by a leaf spring Mounted on theoutside of the frame plate 3 is a lever I36 carrying a pin I31 whichprojects through an opening in the end plate and is engaged by a leafspring I38 which normally holds the lever in the position shown so thata lug I39 formed on this lever lies in the path of a pin I40 carried bythe crank handle 28. The engagement of the lug I39 with the pin I49arrests the handle 28 when the drum 25 is in the normal or rest positionshown in the drawings, thereby preventing accidental rotation of thecrank handle beyond this position. The lever I36 has a projection I4Iwhich is located in a position convenient to the hand of the operatorand permits the lever to be moved against the action of the leaf springI38 into a position in which the lug I39 is clear of the path of the pinI40 so that the crank handle 28 can be rotated when required.

In the use of the machine the conductor adjusts the fare stage byrotating the wheel 48 backwards or forwards until the numbering wheels49 and 50 indicate through window I44 the required fare stage. Theconductor will usually adjust the fare stage marking device in this wayas the vehicle enters the successive stages, but in the event of apassenger being carried beyond the stage at which he boarded the Vehiclebefore the conductor issued his ticket, the fare printing device caneasily be adjusted prior to the issue of that passengers ticket toindicate the correct stage at which the vehicle was boarded by thepassenger.

The conductor adjusts the spindle 98 in accordance with the class ofticket which is to be issuedby pushing the spindle-98 inwards againstthe action of thespringIIl'I and rotating the wheel I00 until theindicating disc I42 shows the required class marking through the windowI43 and then allows the spindle 98 to return to its normal positionunder the influence ofthe spring III'I.

If a ticket of any value from id. to 11d. is to be issued the arm 84 isadjusted to the blank position and the finger dial 6'! is then adjustedto thevalue of ticket required. The conductor then releases the stoplever I36 and rotates the crank handle 28 through one revolution. Theconsequent rotation of the printing drum prints and issues a ticketmarked with the fare stage, class and value markings to which themachine is adjusted and registers the issue of this ticket on the totalcounter 8Tb, the total pence counter B'Ie and if required furtherindication of the class of ticket'issued on the counter 81a.

For the purpose of issuing a ticket of a value not provided for by thevalue setting mechanism controlled by the finger dial 61, i. e., aticket having a value of more than 11d., the conductor adjusts the arm84 to the required value and then the finger dial 6'I to the requirednumber of pence and operates the machine in the same Way, the shillingsvalue being recorded on its respective counter.

If the conductor is required toissue a ticket of a value notspecifically provided for by the dies in the machine, he can make up therequired value by two operations of the printing drum, stopping afterthe first revolution to adjust the finger dial 61 and arm 84, and thenproceeding to issue a double ticket before severing the printed portionon the knife edge I29.

When the ticket roll I2 is exhausted the conductor opens the cover 6 byexerting an upward pressure on the finger piece 9 and releasing the arm1 from the lugs II, and inserting a new ticket roll.

In order to give the conductor warning when the ticket roll is nearlyexhausted, the ticket strip may be marked with a colored line or otherindication for a sufficient distance from the end of the strip.Alternatively, the magazine cover 6 may be provided with a windowthrough which an indicator preferably in the form of a red colored discor plate becomes visible when the ticket roll is nearing exhaustion.This indicator may be mounted on an arm bearing against the roll or anelement movable therewith and maintained in such engagement by means ofa spring so that when the roll is reduced to a predetermined diameterthe indicator appears beneath the window to warn the conductor that themagazine will shortly require replenishing.

The machine described with reference to the accompanying drawings is aportable machine adapted for use on tramcars, motor buses and the likevehicles but the machine may be adapted without material alterations inits construction to operate at a fixed point as for issuing railway orother tickets at a booking oilice or other fixed station. Moreover anon-portable machine substantially similar in construction and operationto that described with reference to the accompanying drawings may beassociated with an electric motor for rotating the printing drum shaft,suitable clutch mechanism being provided for the purpose of obtaining asingle rotation of the printing drum shaft at every operation of aswitch or other control.

We claim:

1. A ticket printing and issuing machine of the class describedcomprising a printing drum having two independently adjustable printingdevices for printing variable value markings, registering devices forsaid printing devices, a shaft fixed to the printing drum, actuatingdevices for the registering devices, a separate external setting memberfor each of said printing devices, and an adjusting member coupled to,each of said printing and actuating devices and to the respectivesetting member and mounted to slide on and rotate with said shaft, eachof said adjustable value printing devices being adjustable to a blankposition in which it prints no value marking, and said adjusting membersbeing arranged so that the movement of either of said members resultingfrom adjustment of the corresponding value printing device to the blankposition causes the other value printing device to be adjusted to avalue printing position, thereby preventing simultaneous adjustment ofboth adjustable value printing devices to blank positions.

2. A ticket printing and issuing machine of the class describedcomprising a printing drum having two independently adjustable printingdevices for printing variable value markings, registering devices forsaid printing devices and a separate external setting member for each ofsaid printing devices, each of said adjustable value printing devicesbeing adjustable to a blank position in which it prints no valuemarking, and means operative by movement of either of said settingmembers to adjust the corresponding value printing device to the blankposition to move the other value printing device to a value printingposition.

DUDLEY HENRY KINNARD. HAROLD FRANCIS FORD.

